GGRPG

Robots and Girls with Guns

GM decision: W42-502 receives some small amount of money and pie from the lady who’s husband he helped fix. He shares this pie with Ozymandias.

Miriam and Minerva go back to Miriam’s house. Robodetective spells Annabelle, who goes home to sleep. Around 2 am, Robodetective is asked if he would like a room. He goes home and comes back once he is allowed.

Minerva makes armor for Cat-wagon, while Miriam helps not much at all. During this day Robodetective feels like someone is following him. He goes to the backdoor of the inn and out to the edge of the alley. Nothing is there, even after a half hour. Annabelle notices that when Robodetective comes in, a few people react, but how is unclear. She ramps up her huckster act in response and they trade off who’s on shift.

That evening when Robodetective goes back to his office, he realizes that people have been in his office, riffling through his stuff. Nothing has been taken. The lock was picked and relocked, but no significant damage.

The next morning the Sparks rejoin the rotation, playing complicated card games. Annabelle takes the morning shift, the Sparks do afternoon, Robodetective stays as long as he is allowed. Robodetective notices during a busy period someone coming up to innkeeper, they talk for a few minutes and they go into a back room together.

Annabelle and Robodetective sneak up and hear, “Did you hear that? Nevermind, pay up!” She protests that profits were down this week, but says she’ll pay anyway. Then he steps out into the hallway. He exists through the back door and Annabelle tails him…unsuccessfully.

He turns and asks, “What do you want?” Annabelle proceeds to tell him, “Your ass looks really nice.” Eyebrow wiggling and flirting ensues, Annabelle is invited to a different inn. He pays for her drinks from money from a rather large bag full of cash. He is talking himself up as really important to the organization in an attempt to aah…be her friend. He doesn’t want to bring her back to headquarters. They rent a room and sleep together. She also learns his name is Mykola Tkachenko.

While he is sleeping, she looks through his things. She finds lots of money and a list of words with the top two crossed off. Annabelle then sneaks out. She comes back to the inn and says that she was made, but that she got to look through his stuff. Robodetective asks if she knocked him unconscious, to which she says yes. He finds that she is not entirely truthful. She shares that he is still in the inn. The list is random words, a couple fruit for example.

Robodetective goes to the inn where Mykola is and is waiting for him to come downstairs.. Miriam comes with him. He exits, he ducks into barnyard and Robodetective doesn’t see, but Miriam does. He reaches a two story beat up house. The house is in good repair structurally while looking just run-down enough to blend into the rather run-down neighborhood. We are in the south part of the city. He goes up to the door and it opens just a little and then he goes in. Miriam goes back to the inn and tells the party where the house is located.

We send a letter to the councilman requesting a meeting. We receive a response in the morning that he will see us at 3pm for a spot of tea. That afternoon we go to his manor house, which is of moderate size but as well kept as it should be. We are lead into a sitting room.

Robodetective says that we have information for him. The councilman appears to have difficulty immediately recalling why we are here. He comments that the crime was never this bad when he was young. The councilman is framing it as his duty as a councilman. Robodetective asks if he received the previous letter. He says yes and that he would arrest the man if only he could find him. In terms of reward, he says that the council may have some reward, speak freely so that we can see. Robodetective says, “So you could get the credit.”

He appreciates the honesty, he does not have much to give us, but he has negotiations that might be fruitful. He would potentially be willing to do a favor of some sort for us. He was appreciative, but not too excited. He had a lot of questions we had no answers for and we noted that we had not wanted to go too far forward on this without his go ahead.

Upon our return home we receive letters offering us positions as mercenaries from both sides of the conflict between the two nearby cities that have had a long-running feud which has been heating up.

Homework: What do we want from game? What kinds of adventures do we want? 2exp

The team is cleaning up the situation. MADAC andRobodetective are bringing back the injured Bratva members. Annabelle asks Gretl what she thinks might have caused it. Just as the party comes back together in front of the burning inn, The Inquisitor, his silent friend and a squad of the city guard appear. The Sergeant Yuri Petrenko yells for everyone to start a water brigade, however it appears the fire brigade is not here as it should be. The Inquisitor asks Annabelle, Miriam, Minerva and MADAC what is happened here. Gretl explains what she heard. She is very upset because she has lost everything because she didn’t pay the protection money. Then asks if we are connected to the clank that just took two bodies around the corner.

Robodetective meanwhile has dragged his captives down an alley and is questioning him. He learns after some intimidation that his superior was Arshas the Profit. However, around this time the guardsmen find Robodetective and the Bratva duo.

The front of the inn collapses, hurting one of the bystanders further. Annabelle rescues him and stabilize him. After some back and forth with the Inquisitor in which Robodetective is doubtful of his authority, the Sergeant requests our presence as witnesses at the guard station. The party troops to the guard station.

Annabelle and Miriam, having not been involved in the

Robodetective cooperates, but he asserts that some information can’t be shared as he has a conflict of interest, aka a client. MADAC is more cooperative and achieves a level of rapport with him. The Inquisitor is also seeking to destroy the Bratva and is rather passionate about it. Minerva doesn’t give him any new information. We are allowed to leave.

The humans go home and get some rest. Robodetective has MADAC deliver a message to his client discreetly. Robodetective then engages in wild good chase maneuvers. MADAC with some…shenanigans….delivers the message.

We all meet up the next morning to discuss our next move. Robodetective proposes investigating Arshas the Profit. Robodetective proposes finding more Bratva and getting information from them or following them. We settle on waiting at another inn until the Bratva hit them up for their money. Robodetective would like to check in Ozymandias while the rest of us start the waiting game.

On the way to Ozymandias, Robodetective meets an upset woman who asks for his help. Her husband suddenly started telling her she was old and ugly out of nowhere. He went to a bar the night before, then came home and insulted me and went to bed. He was eating at Gretl’s inn. Robodetective is happy to investigate Petro and Luba’s issue and would like to speak with him.

Annabelle is working the inn, pretending she is trying to hire people for a crazy job to fetch mystical treasure her grandfather told her about one time. MADAC is seeing if anyone is interested in messenger services. Miriam and Minerva play cards quietly, pretending they are not associated with either of them. MADAC gets a message to take and goes across town to deliver it. Nothing suspicious happens.

Robodetective finds Ozymandias has set himself up nicely, almost identically to his old cave. He has had only one visitor. Ozymandias doesn’t makes us pay in answers for casual questions as we are now friends, which he has never had before. Robodetective tells him that he is just checking in. Ozymandias has discovered numerals engraved on the catacomb ceilings. A few people have come down to talk with him, including Igor Trubetskoy.

Robodetective learns that he can extend his senses a bit more than humans. It is rather restricted in a way that he can’t explain. Unfortunately Ozymandias doesn’t know that much about the Bratva. He does advise that humans are fairly complicated. He then heads back to the inn.

Miriam, Minerva, and Robodetective go to the inn where the old lady’s husband is drinking. We notice that there is some animosity between the husband and two other patron. Robdetective learns that the trio normally come here everyday and are great friends. But today, the old man is just rude! Yesterday he ran out when the other inn caught on fire, but I haven’t seen anything strange.

Miriam and Minerva ask if they can sit with the duo. After some conversation, they learn that the Inquisitor has only been in the city likely for a few weeks and that the duo is suspicious of him. They offer to speak to the captain about the sergeant. They also learn that Petro had no known reason to suddenly turn so mean and the duo attribute it to being old and suddenly losing it.

Robodetective approaches Petro, who is rather cranky at being approached. He says that things have always been terrible and people are getting upset because he is finally saying how he feels. He doesn’t know why he has the urge to say what he’d been thinking. Eventually it comes out that he is a little confused about exactly what happened last night. Robodetective gets him to speak with Miriam.

Miriam interacts with him to determine the cause. She learns that something happened at the fire, some variety of truth-inducing procedure but surgery or potions unsure, suspect that it will go away on its own. She talks him into agreeing to a medical examination in Ozymandias’ cave. Once the whole party arrives at Ozymandias’ cave, our friend declares that he can’t help with people’s psyche. Petro has a private meeting with him and seems cured.

RoboDetective, having not had much business, goes into the poor area of the city for a walk to reestablish himself as an Investigator in the area. Annabelle goes to hand out with some friends, mostly young apprentices and minor nobles without much to do who go out to get drunk. The two groups don’t associate but are the category of people she hands out with. Annabelle learns that the council has been pointedly combative lately. Minerva becomes more familiar with the area around Miriam’s house and now can get around the neighborhood and find her way back. MADAC spend a few days being a creeper in bars without buying anything. Robodetective is keeping an eye out for jobs and reestablishing his presence.

A few days later we introduce Ozymandias to the council. We are sent word that the meeting is at 1pm. Igor has already introduced the council to the idea, asks us if we don’t want to come, but all of us come. The gorgeous building is large and simple, if well-made building. We are conducted to the Council chambers, a large circular room with 10 entrances, one for each council member and the primary entrance. The throne is empty, but for the council.

Igor Trebe-well dressed, mild mannered lord
Kris –old but wildly intense guy
Kessler-several books are out, is pretty bored with what is going on
Nelsdevetz-young well dressed man who is paying close attention
Daniel- luxuriating a comfy chair
Alexander- dressed nicely, but shabbily
The two ladies are conservatively and less conservatively

We are told to stand outside and wait, they are finishing up a discussion. We hear that they are discussing the raider issue of them being armed and equipped. They move onto our business.

“I had some brave young members of our city go explore the rumors we heard of Bialystock. They found something quite interesting and I would like to show you the being that they found and convinced to bring here.”
Kessler is now paying attention

“Greeting, I call myself Ozymandias. I am most interested in your people and studying and learning what I can. I ask only for a place to stay and I will answer questions for a question.” He introduces himself to the council. Igor vouches for Ozymandias’ intellect
Robodetective notes that the sparks are quite interested. They ask Ozymandias what he is looking for. Catacombs are mentioned. Igor argues for the catacombs under his estate. The sparks want him at the University, but Ozymandias doesn’t want to be studied really, so he ends up in the catacombs near Igor’s estate. Rumors for a decade or so that crime is more organized in this city more than we like to admit, the Bratva. Supposdiely they have been weakened or strengthened. What will happen if we crack down? Do they help or not help?
Meanwhile there is a shouting match about Ozymandias between the sparks. Igor is willing to allow for full public free access to Ozymandias. We should also make an announcement to the populace, telling the location and thanks for all of the group’s efforts.

We take Ozymandias to a small but elegant house near the outskirts of the city. There is a crypt. After a quick exploration, Ozymandias declares the crypt acceptable.

Everyone but Minerva heads out to investigate the Bratva. Robodetective puts together a few bits and bobs: Organized crime group, actually fairly new to the city, about 20 years ago. They supplanted a different group when they first got here, which was less well organized and criminal in nature. Marat Balagula is a name associated with the Bratva. We are heading to speak with Gretl, the owner of the Quiver and Stallion Inn who had decided to stop paying Bratva’s fee. It is a fairly nice three-story inn.

We head over in early afternoon. The bar is sparsely populated. MADAC speaks to Gretl, after RoboDetective advises him to be subtle. MADAC plans to hit on Gretl first. He does so, far better than expected and she is utterly charmed. She explains that she used to pay the fees of the Bratva, but I’ve been hearing rumors that they are now pretty busy, so I decided to stop, see if I can’t lower my rates in general. I am not scared of those punks. She thinks she is likely the first person to not pay their fees. MADOC buys the girls a drink. Gretl explains that the Bratva normally sends someone over to collect the payment. She called in all her bouncers and just said no. The Bratva representative grumbled, made some threats and left. Robodetective has a plan to stake out the other inns and figure out where they report back to.

We go to a nearby inn to try a few methods. MADOC tries to get the innkeeper to tell him if they are still paying Bratva and gets kicked out. Miriam gets the following rumor: Some group from New Dessia is responsible for helping out with that affair up North in Bialystok. I hear the town’s new leadership is highly appreciative!

Something catches on fire outside. MADOC sees that the Quiver and Stallion Inn is on fire. We rush out to see what is going on. We all dash towards the fire. MADOC heads into the room he thinks is Gretl’s. Miriam asks Gretl who is in the house.

Annabelle and MADOC explore the house on fire and rescue several bystanders, passing some to Fe. Meanwhile Robodetective faces off against two of Bratva who turn out to be better armed than expected. He, with the assistance of Minerva and MADOC , takes them out.

After a good night’s sleep, we head out of the city, due to Annabelle’s impending marriage issue and the rather important role we played in the revolution. Many others are leaving the city at the same time. We are heading towards Ozymandias and Slupsk and meat pies.

Annabelle buys herself some meat pies and we head to Ozymandias’ cave. We go into the cave and see the crackling being of energy. Now that we know what to look for, there is a generator in the back and know that that is where he is generated from. He asks us if we have questions.

Annabelle asks him if he remembers us. He asks “Do you remember me?” There is mutual remembering. Ozymandias had hoped that we would be the ones to take care of Bruno. Annabelle asks if he is happy in Slupsk. Ozymandias asks what makes her happy. She replies, “I like being relevant and important to what is going on.” He replies, “ I am content here.”

We then ask him, “Are you willing to go somewhere with us?” We are asked, Where are you going? We are going to New Dessia and we have reason to believe there is someone who would be fascinated with you.
Ozymandias is uncertain. He doesn’t have a current desire to do so.
Annabelle paints New Dessia as a place with many interesting people who come and go, lots of interesting information to be had. Miriam adds that it will also put outside of Bruno’s reach, when Bruno might need to reclaim whatever he could.

He refuses to allow Bruno or anyone else to trap or entrap him. We assure him will we not do so. “How do we move him?” we ask. He says that he does that himself. He moves his own generator. He controls magnetic and electronic fields. Given the slight wobbling, it is not perfectly controlled, but close, so it shouldn’t seriously impact Catwagon or anything else. The crazed brother was bolted down by some non-metallic substance.

Oxymandias is strapped safely inside Catwagon. We travel for several weeks to get inside the raider territory where our friend Chicken Lady is still alive and managing her home all alone. Her actual name is Irina. Her chickens are well.

We get back to New Dessia. We all heave a sigh of relief for being home. After a brief discussion among ourselves and Ozymandias, it is determined that we will present the dead generator to our boss and inform the council that Ozymandias is here and he would like to settle himself somewhere, such as the catacombs and be open to the people. Annabelle will present this as a service to the city that our team has performed in hopes of getting a reward.

Ozymandias, Catwagon and RoboDetective hang out outside the city while the rest of us go into the city. MADAC catches up on what has happened recently. He learns that the feud between the towns of Bilhorod and Dnistrovs’kyi has escalated into a full scale war, and people are being slaughtered on the streets. He also learns that crime is way up in the city. There are rumors of raiders everyone attacked settlements using spark weapons to do so. The man calling himself the Inquisitor has appeared a few weeks ago and is making a nuisance of himself. He also ran into a man who says, “My mother-in-law hid the family treasure in these hideous chairs, and I only found out after I had sold them. I’ll pay well to someone who will help me recover them!”

Annabelle goes home and spends the day cleaning herself and her stuff up and resting. Miriam and Minerva go back to Miriam’s house, where they recharge, clean up and tinker in the lab. The next morning, most of us receive a scroll from a well-dressed man that summons us to a meeting with the Counciler this evening at 7pm. If this time doesn’t work, please inform the steward. RoboDetective is at his office, where he obviously does not receive it.

That evening, we all head to the meeting in moderately nice clothes if we wear them. We go to his rather nice house, which is full of unusual things. We reach the room where is the Councilman and his friend Victor can be found. He greets us and wants to know what and who we have brought back.

We are offered 100 Kopek for the generator. We accept his offer for the generator. Annabelle informs him that we brought Ozymandias to the city, bringing hopefully tourists and money to the city.

He would like a favor of us. “As you know, the council is full of bickering, it would help me a fair amount if you were to act as if you all were inspired to see Ozymandias by my own suggestion. If I could present myself as your patron in this matter, I would be willing to reward you generously.” H e offers us to double the price of the generator. Our part in it will be mentioned. Annabelle insists that we be present in the council meeting. We will ask Ozymandias if he would like to speak with him. RoboDetective has stared at him throughout the whole meeting. (Robo Detective STAAAARE)

Miriam goes out to meet with Ozymandias, gives him a summary of the meeting and asks about whether he would like to meet to with the Councilor. She arranges for the Councilor to meet with Ozymandias, which happens in the next few days. This happens the next day. Our group shows him where Ozymandias is, then backs out of auditory range. Victor circles the wagon, then joins us. They have a nice secret conversation. Then we move the location of the CatWagon.

Annabelle gathers some more rumors and improves her relations with her contacts. RoboDetective tries to get some business, but has difficulty getting reasonable clients. Miriam investigates the raiders. She slowly becomes sure that someone is directly planting this rumor, but can’t actually find more concrete information. She also learned about Steven Sondheim who has been building large numbers of clanks, perhaps to defend us from these raiders. Miriam shares this information with the group.

Minerva, with minimal assistance form Miriam, makes a concussion gun to knock people out and disorient them in only 4 hours. Annabelle goes searching for job opportunities. She learns that Gretl, the owner of the Quiver and Stallion Inn has decided to stop paying Bratva’s fees. She thinks she can get away with it, with everything that’s been going on. Bratva is an organized crime group, established about 20 years ago.

Annabelle keeps looking for rumors and jobs. She learns Councilor Ochenko lost a lot of money when her mining outpost was destroyed, but I hear she’ still loaded! She also learns someone in the government has been funneling spark equipment to criminal elements in the city. Furthermore, Councilor Trubetskoy has been borrowing a lot of money. I wonder what he’s been spending all of it on? One young man says," It’s happened to another one. This man doesn’t remember a thing in his life after the age of 10! Everything after that is just gone!"

As a group we discuss the rumors. Who is spreading the rumors about the raiders and why? What force is rising in the city, perhaps fueled by the spark weapons and our friend Trubetskoy’s money?

Annabelle prepares for her grand evening with Bruno. She goes over in Catwagon. Their dinner goes very well, as Annabelle takes the tack of complimenting him extensively. He goes on about how the empire is being run down and how he could fix it. After some hours, they adjourn to another room at Annabelle’s suggestion. She brings up the elephant in the room, her own connections to the sparky lineage of her family.
Bruno points out the great power he has and is coming into. Annabelle offers that perhaps they could have a marriage alliance in a whisper and slips the sleeping draught into his drink. He thinks that this would a most excellent idea, raising his glass in a toast and they drink everything in their glasses. Shortly, Bruno becomes rather tired. He invites her back the next night and goes back to bed after telling her to speak to Abraham to arrange it.
Annabelle sits at the table for a little bit and around 11 requests to go upstairs. The server says that she has no authorization to do so. She requests an escort outside. She rejoins the rest of the group where we are assembled. Everyone is appropriately armed.

At 11:15, fighter clanks begin to assemble at the front entrance of the manor, 4 or 5 of them. At 11:40 the clanks as one start to march over in the general direction of the bridge. We set up our ladder and find the window locked at the top. However, with our handy dandy glass cutter, we get in.

Everyone gets into the upper hallway with no issues and Annabelle turns on the device. We manage to avoid the servants and we reach the stairs down into the basement. There are two blue crystal clanks, but they seem to be firing wildly, like they don’t know where the targets are. MADAC and Minerva successfully take out both of the clanks. We hear the sounds of clattering, perhaps a door opening. There follows a short battle with a variety of clanks. We also discover some people hiding where they’ve been “living” nearby.

We fight our way through to the door to the mechanism. In the center of the rough cave is a massive ball of energy. When people move too fast, they get zapped. After some sparky investigating, we figure out the center is the power generator, the top is something which is pointlessly big, something repeated over and over again, each piece is essentially a clank brain. They are well built, but not particularly amazing, but all wired together. The bottom portion is the transmitter. RoboDetective destroyed the transmitter part quickly in order to stop Bruno’s soldiers.

The central part of the device however, as Oxymandias was, is sentient and simply wants to die. The party in the end disables him and carries that part of the device away. Miriam also takes a brain. The sparks salvage as much as they can on our way out.

The city is in revolution. Bruno has been taken into custody, his soldiers are out. We are heading towards Oxymandias.

Minerva and Annabelle try to make the blocking item, but fail dramatically, wasting much salvage. The pair are rather depressed about it. Meanwhile MADAC observes the city dramatically from above and Miriam goes to look for salvage.

Miriam meets the pair of failed inventors back at the inn and they decide to meet Anton and Ariel in the bar to see how they did. Anton was successful and made a rather intense device that uses smoke to block the signal.

After a brief discussion of who should do what, Anton and Ariel declare themselves the heroes and we’ll follow.

Our party follows Anton’s party to the planned point. They activate the device as two guards walk by. The guards keep walking. The goons hang up on one, crush the crystal and it immediately shuts down, not falling, but not moving at all. Anton attacks with a rapier- like weapon that runs with electricity. With a pop, the crystal is damaged, but not destroyed. It continues walking. They gang up on it and take it out. Anton says, “Theory is proved correct. But now the real test.” He deactivates it and the clanks stay down.

We hear something approaching and quickly hide the clank bodies in a nearby warehouse. The party returns to our inn. The next day, we discuss what to do next. Eventually, the plan is to have Annabelle send a note to see if Bruno would be willing to meet with Annabelle again, while using CatWagon as a Trojan Horse to carry the device. While we wait, have Minerva and Anton can make a second device. Our goal is to get to that basement.

Annabelle sends the following letter via Abraham who says, “I will try to send this note to you, but Bruno has been very busy since last night.”
“Dear sir, I have been thinking about our meeting the other night. While I no longer have much contact with my family, I may be interested in an alliance of one sort or another. Would it be possible to meet, just the two of us, to discuss our future? “

While we wait for a reply, Minerva goes to the inn to see if Anton will help her make a second device. Miriam goes along to potentially take them out of spark frenzy if we run out of time. They succeed in making a second device that works on slightly different concepts.
Annabelle gets a reply that there is matter of state he must attend to, but perhaps in a week. Annabelle discusses with Miriam if an intimidating letter might be the best choice to reply. Annabelle believes that Bruno is in search of a wife. The letter is sent off via Abraham again.

RoboDetective and MADAC engage in a strategy planning session. They discuss potentially having Anton and Ariel being the distraction at the front and maybe us at the back.

The party goes to meet Anton and Ariel. They are debating politely with each other. One says that he has made friends with people who are against Bruno. They have plans to make an attack tomorrow on the bridge. The other feels like there must be something more to it. The concern is whether the attack is addressing Bruno’s ability to churn out these clanks. Robodetective is unsure whether we should help. It is decided that we should speak to them and see what their plans are and if they can accommodate us.

We meet their contacts at midnight with Ariel. “We heard about your work helping with a rogue clank a few weeks ago, what do you want to talk about?” Ariel turns it over to our group and with some misteps we convince them to hold off for 3 days, then regardless of whether we are truly ready, we will go forward. Our plan is to wait 2 days hoping we get info from our underground contact, then 1 day looking for info if it comes to that, then act on the 3rd day regardless.

Xander says that strange things do come in and out of the manor sometimes, but that is normal for a spark. Other than that, he’s got nada for us. Annabelle got a response that he will have dinner with you in two nights. This would be the night before our attack would be planned. She replies that she would prefer the next night so that her dress will be prepared. He agrees in a very condescending way and Miriam offers to make her toys of womanly revenge. Annabelle requests a sleeping draught.

RoboDetective gets her a sleeping draught. The three days pass and Anton and Ariel show up at our inn, saying, so, let’s do this!

The morning dawns bright and early. Miriam settles down to continue her investigation into generalizing the negation of the effects of Bruno’s device. RoboDetective is keeping an eye out for whatever investigation Bruno might be doing into the party. Minerva heads out to get some salvage at a local junkyard.Annabelle heads into the commercial district and is tempted by the shopkeepers, but she has no money.
Miriam now understands the logic that Ozymandias had used. She is fairly sure that she could replicate his work on other objects/clanks, but it would take some time in comparison to how impressively fast Ozymandias knew what to do with each item/clank.
Miriam and Minerva find a job at the town hall organizing their files as the staff is dreadfully overworked. They are now very familiar with their organizing system. RoboDetective gets a good tune-up from Annabelle.
The time approaches for the fight and the whole party, except CatWagon. RoboDetective is briefed on the rules, that the goal is to fight to disabling, not destruction. He can’t bring any weapon in that is not attached to him. He uses the name the Investigator. His opponent the Janitor is announced! RB quickly figures out that those pincers are going to be used to grab him.
The fight starts and the two impressive clanks circle each other. The Janitor lunges at RB and he pushes off the edge of the ring and punches him. RB hits a button on his stomach while pinned by the Janitor and activates an emergency override, but there are no immediate effects of his thoughtful action. The fight is dramatic, but RB takes a lot of damage. Then RB activates his anti-gravity paint, executes his shiny plot and slams his opponent onto his back. His treasured trenchcoat was damaged and thus, RB put his all into the fight to protect his trenchcoat. He wins!

The leader of the ring informs RB that Bruno is doing something to the west. The people are being taken to his mansion and never seen again. Bodies are found downriver, but could have been anyone. The bodies are burned. He says there have been hints about another one coming. He is totally okay with some upgrades being made between this fight and the next. Annabelle offers to work for him as a mechanic, but he is only interested in a long-term person.

The next day, Annabelle and RB obtain dinner-appropriate dress. The party gussies up, drives over in Catwagon. A steward welcomes us and introduces the humans, but refers to the clanks as escorts. Bruno is sitting at the head of the table, serious and dark-haired. Nearby are several domestic but still blue-crystal headed clanks.
Bruno makes remarks implying that Annabelle should have control over RB. Annabelle comments on the bridge. Bruno explains that it will be wide enough and strong enough for many men to walk abreast. He has no worries about defense. RB questions whether the number of guards indicates a threat. He says that he will not talk to tools. RB stalks off.
Minerva notices that he is paying a lot more attention to Annabelle than the others. He is very interested in her last name in particular. Bruno believes in maintaining strict control and order over everything to ensure happiness. He had to ensure that the sparks in the city were in control. Annabelle asks if there are many problems with sedition. The common people do not know what is best for them. Annabelle asks, “How do you feel about democracy?” Bruno carefully fends off mentions of the important things.

He rambles, "Everyone spends so much time on getting each clank to be perfect, instead you must centralize their energy their thoughts, just control everything from the center. Need a way to project these things, details are proprietary. The actual clanks themselves need no brains. "
RoboDetective is snooping, but followed by a serving clank. He tries to knock out the serving clank, then bluff when it does not succeed. Fighter clanks come and escort him off the property.

After the party reconvenes, we share our gleanings from our meeting with Bruno with RB. Miriam shares her theory that the blue crystal is what receives the signal from the primary device and if we take it out, so will we take out the clank. The plan is decided to try to get our contacts at the town hall, Anton and Ariel and RB’s acquaintance to help us. We need to make a jamming device that will block outgoing signals and test to see if Miriam’s theory is correct. If it is, we need to figure out the best weapons to take out the crystals in their heads. We will spend the next week preparing and gaining allies.

We go to meet Anton and Ariel in their favorite seedy bar. RoboDetective says that we have information that the Prince has created a device causing the clanks to go berserk. He shares more of our information and challenges one brother’s assertion that as the authority in the city, he is the legal ruler in the city. Miriam refuses to share the information of how to take out the clanks until they agree to help. They do and share their opinion that this is a very wise way to do it.

Party OC pow-wow: What do we know? What are we going for? Destroying or stealing parts of the device? Convince Ozymandias to come to New Dessia.

Abraham Lichstein offers to set up an appt with Bruno for 5 people? W42-502 accepts. Abraham explains that Monika Malinowski’s role has largely been in subduing the most dangerous rogue clanks and has many brilliant ideas about running the city. She is incredibly smart. W42-502 asks if there is anything she wants or is looking for? Abraham Lichstein says that everyone has had issues recently, you should ask her.

W42-502 offers Monika Malinowski a way to protect against the rogue clanks, but what can you offer in return? Info about Bruno: He used to come out into the city more, but he hasn’t really since the craziness started. I suspect a connection between him and the craziness, but he has all the clanks who obey him. W42-502 asks if she will help us find the device? Let me know if you find it…but good luck.Monika MalinowskiMaybe you can figure out where the people are disappearing to. Every now and then the clanks arrest someone and they are never seen again. W42-502 Will return tomorrow with more information. There is a small town not far from here with a being known as Ozymandias that can create a protection for certain clanks. Monika Malinowski Thanks! I’ve been trying to figure that out for months!

The party meets up near the entrance to the city. The city is much emptier than it should be, everyone is scared and rushing home in clumps except the crystal-headed guards. W42-502 plays everyone the record of the town hall excursion. W42-502 and Annabelle go in search of information by pubcrawling. MADAC goes searching for newspapers…on the roofs…it is not terribly effective. Annabelle is taken in by a blustering drunk person who claims he can take on the robots by himself.

W42-502 learns that Ariel and Anton are heroes that are going to save the day! Bruno Abdank is constructing an army to conquer the empire. Major construction is happening on Lepoe Street. Bruno Abdank’s Seneschal are based in town city and desperately trying to keep everything under control. There is an illegal underground fighting ring.

W42-502 and Annabelle goes to the underground ring in the evening by carefully following secret methods. The big, dark dingy room is full of gambling and betting and the FIGHT of clanks. Two clanks fight, one clank is winning, but draws it out. Next fight in two hours! A smartly dressed man, Xander, walks up to RB, tries to get him to fight in the ring. W42-502 is willing to give profits from the fights in exchange for information. He wants to know where the people disappearing go. He implies that he has information, but W42-502 gets the feeling that he doesn’t really have that much to offer. W42-502 says he will only fight for someone who can give or find the information that he is looking for. Xander says he’ll do his best to get the information. W42-502 accepts being in one fight for him. The fight will be next week. [[:annabelle] is talking about clanks with the various seedy characters.

Miriam sits down with CatWagon and Fe in an attempt to understand how to generalize the modifications Ozymandias suggested for the clanks. She comes to understand why it works for this particular clank, but generalizing it needs further study. Meanwhile Minerva works on adding lasers to Catwagon’s eyes. With the assistance of the stableboy courtesy of a bribe, she tries, but sadly she doesn’t have good enough glass.

MADAC sees suspicious figures. He sees gargoyle-like clanks flying around, they see him as soon as he sees them, 1 larger one and 3 smaller ones. They fly towards him, claws extended as if to grab him. He loses them, including running them near a set of guards which loses them in the resulting chaos.

The whole party heads over to the town hall, but carefully pretend that MADAC is not a member of our group. At some point a couple of the guards come up to MADAC and say, state your business? The sparks walk on, but Annabelle says come on, we have a place to be! Clanks ask if he is chasing us. She successfully convinces them that all is well and they go off. The party reaches city hall and Abraham Lichstein.

Abraham Lichstein said that Bruno Abdank would love to speak with the travelers from New Dessia. We have been invited to a formal dinner in 7 days at his house. He gives a formal invitation for each of the humans. RB what do you recommend for etiquette at the dinner? Bruno Abdank is harsh, tends to be rude and arrogant to people he considers less than himself. He is very confident in his own skills. He refuses to believe that anything he has done could have created the rogue clanks. The device operates the guards. 4 months ago Bruno Abdank completed something and then…the crazy started. His response could range from off with your head to exile to hmph.

W42-502 finds a list of 20 people who disappeared. None of the disappeared people were officially arrested with charges, but the records don’t have any information about them at all once they have disappeared. The pair also get the blueprints of the manor successfully with W42-502’s help distracting the clerk to get information about history of sparks in the city. W42-502 get the map of the whole manor, blueprints indicate that there is a tunnel going to the underground storehouses which is not on the map. Both of them save the blueprints using their recording abilities. There is a concealed door within the manor marked basement to get to the storehouse.

W42-502 talks to Abraham about the town. He also asks the townspeople about the gargoyles, he learns that 1 other clank had been mauled by something at night. Annabelle goes to the docs and is learning about how to pilot the local boats. There is a good chunk of trade on the river, but they don’t really build their own boats much, though they do repair them. She has offers to join a boat crew, but chooses to go out for drinks instead. She learns that some boats have been attacked, which has negatively effected trade to some degree.

Minerva looks for glass, but only finds a mirror she can use. She asks the stableboy to give her a hand, but she has difficulty focusing.

W42-502 finds a tailor to make him a nice suit for the Prince’s shindig, but it would be very expensive. He says no. Miriam makes another go at generalizing the clank modification, but makes no progress. MADAC thinks about going forth to tempt fate by repeating his nightly searches, but decides not to. RB goes to search out rumors. He learns: “Some of the local residents are forming a resistance movement to remove Bruno before he gets crazy enough to cause serious damage to the city. I heard that one of the first clanks to gain sentience knows something about how Bruno’s mass producing so many clanks.”
Minerva tries again to make the lasers for Catwagon. She goes into spark frenzy and adds some interesting features to the lasers. Now Catwagon can spend up to 3 rounds just staring at an enemy and gets a +2 per turn on attacking. The ashes can be raspberry, lime, or orange flavored and scented. (will we be making potpourri of our enemies?)

W42-502 goes in search of Anton & Ariel and walks into the same bar, the Sailor’s Delight, that annabelle is in. Annabelle calls out, “Hey! Whatcha doing here?” W42-502 “Taking care of business.” Annabelle, winks “Say no more.” The pair he is looking for are armed with spark-made weapons. They agree to speak with him. They discuss politics briefly. Anton comments on his recording eyes. They claim that they are heroes and will save every town! The pair lost their bikes recently… W42-502 asks “What do you know about clanks patrolling the streets and strangeness?” Ariel shuts up Anton before he can really answer the question. W42-502 is offering information to help them out, but doesn’t want to be their extra minion. He offers to tell them about their bikes. He tells them that his group drove them off without damage to themselves, but two were damaged beyond repair. This puts them off W42-502 just a bit. They also say they don’t know the Inquisitor. The pair is originally from Warsaw and they would not want to confine themselves to only one city. He excuses himself.

As we travel onward, we run into more and more destruction. Several days later, we are close to the city. We have continued to see destroyed and damaged wagons, dead people, and badly damaged clanks. After a couple days we reach a small town, Slupsk, near by Bialystok, distant suburb of our destination. It seems almost entirely unharmed, no serious defenses, small with supplementary farms. We see no reason for it to be unharmed when nearby locations have been devastated.

The clanks are feeling a little bit odd. Guns are acting a bit off. Clanks feel like they are getting suggestions on what to do that aren’t really what you would have thought about, following thought patterns that are out of character.

The human members of the party head into town, in search of meat pie. The clanks stay behind outside the town. There are guards watching for people coming in. There are about 100 people here. Annabelle finds tasty foodstuffs, including meat pies.

Annabelle asks the vendor if there have been any more travelers. He said there was trouble coming out of Bialystok. The spark there has been producing many clanks, but the other clanks have been acting so odd and causing so much destruction. A being called Ozimandias appeared right before the trouble and he/it keeps the town safe. He answers questions, but only for a question in return and speaks in riddle. He is made of energy. Miriam investigates the blacksmith’s work/

Annabelle shares her information with the sparks. They go back to the blacksmith to ask for more info. The new ones have these blue heads and mostly stick to the city. Then there’s the rogues, but the townspeople don’t have many issues with them. Blue-headed robots are about 7-8ft, solid, always multiplying. They can talk and they are armed with guns. He says that Ozymandias is weird, asks questions that are very random, from deep philosophical to very specific, it is okay as long as you do your best to answer the question. Had difficulty with a blacksmithing thing, asked and he had a great suggestion.

The humans go back and fill in the rest of the group. Victor Suvorov (Agent 37) is asked if he wants to add anything and he says no. W42-502 continues to feel suspicious of Victor. The party heads out to the cave.

Annabelle: Why have so many rogue clanks been coming out of of Bielestock? O: Who do you most fear in the world? A: I guess the Baron. He could ruin my family. O: The device is flawed. To those who are not properly attuned, it grants strange properties, but it also make them made.

Minerva: What is the nature of the force affecting our tools and companions mechanical? O: What is your purpose in coming here? M: To get away. FAR away. Europa is not the safest place for a female Spark at the moment. I figured the further into the boonies I went, the better chance I had. And there’s always a demand for guns.O: The man who has named himself Bruno, has created a device that sends out thoughts to control his own beings, but it affected beings not attuned properly incorrectly.

MADAC: Who are you? O: Do you have anything worth living for? M: NoO: I am the being that calls itself Ozymandias.

Annabelle: Why did I not get the spark? O: Who were the sparks in your family? A: Well, let’s see, there’s (lists 8-9 aunts, uncles, her father, not sure about mom, her brother and 7 cousins and her grandfather, great and great great grandfather) O: Perhaps you did not want it, I am uncertain.

RoboDetective: Can you give us specific details on the device works that Bruno created and if it can be deactivated without harming the clanks in the vicinity? O: Where did you come from? R: My creator Hans made me in the attempt to make an army like me. He was a mad spark with dreams of world domination. I was the first prototype war machine to use in his army. But something about the process was flawed and I was able to make a choice when he ordered me to kill his enemies. I defeated him before he could cause more harm to the people living there. Not having any purpose I set off to find a place to find my purpose. That is why I have chosen to become a detective of new dessia. I have also joined with those here in assisting with their goals. And with them, I have learned more about myself. O: The device is not one but 3, the first provides power, the 2nd provides thoughts, the 3rd sends 1 and two to all that are receptive. Disabling by destroying the power or otherwise ending its influence.

Miriam: How do we otherwise end its influence? O: What do you think the nature of sin and repentance is? M: I believe that a grievous sin… O: I believe I have a way of protecting an individual object, however it will need to be personalized for every single object. I cannot give you a generic way, but I can help you protect each one of your items if you wish.

MADAC: Where do you derive your knowledge from? O: Describe the political situation in New Dessia. M: Lists the names of the counsel and the people interacted with, gov is partially by merchants and the wealthy of society O: From what I have learned by studying the world around me and asking questions.

Robodetective: Ozymandius, what are your orgins and why do you protect this particular village?O: What quality do you think you are most defined by? R: I am most defined by logic and reasoning quality that I use to investigate and reason through the problems that I run into during my travels. O: I was created by Bruno but I do not believe that he meant for me to come out the way I did.

O: Specifics about a situation in New Dessia O: I cannot protect everything and I happened in this direction while fleeing Bielastock. I protect this village bc I happened here. It feels right to protect being less powerful than myself.

MADOC: If we destroy the device in Bielastock, will you be destroyed as well? O: What your goal in existence? M: To complete myself as I am a fundamentally flawed machine. After that I do not know, but I will do what my creator intended for me to do. See the world through other’s eyes. O: No I no longer depend on that abominable device I rendered myself protected.

Robodetective: Why has Bruno not deactivated the device despite its harmful effects on the clanks in the area?
O: Why has Bruno not deactivated the device despite its harmful effects on the clanks in the area?

Robodetective: What would happen if we were not immune to the effects as we approached Bialystok? O: What do you think the nature of sin and repentance is? R: I do not know the meaning as it is subjective to each people. I prefer to deal with that which is not so grey. Laws of certain areas which need not be so subjective. Repentance is when an individual truly wishes to be forgiven for an act others find reprehensible. O: The longer you are within range of the device, the greater it will be. It will change your personality for better or for worse. I cannot say. Eventually a different consciousness will be in your place.

Immunity for Robodetective:O: What is the most interesting thing you have seen on your path btwn here and New Dessia? R: It is the most interesting encounter that I had on my way here was meeting someone who was not what they seemed to be, a man with mechanical implants in his body that allowed him to perform many amazing abilities. O: An interesting response. [explains a simple, but random way to fix it] There is a buzzing while that was happening.

Protecting fe O: How did you construct the clank? M: (blathers on) O: [explains how to fix Fe]

All our items and clanks are creepy-force free.

Does he know the name of a spark who could create an earthquake device? O: Asks the question back

What else can you do besides make us immune? Can you create things as well? O: I would not wish to try to improve things. I do not have the spark.

Miriam: What purpose did Bruno create you for? O: What activity do you most enjoy in life? M:O: I was created to provide energy for his device.

Robodetective: Are you the power source for your device? O: I was the power source for your device.

M: Is there anything that you think we should know about Bruno? O: What should I know about you? O: His character failings are many, but the device is flawed even beyond them.

As we get close to the walled city of Bialystok,we notice it is guarded by large clanks. The clanks have large blue crystals in place of eyes/ears/etc. Sound comes from their chest. We are asked to identify ourselves and purpose of visit. RoboDetective has some questions.
RoboDetective: who would I speak to have some questions answered. Where does Bruno live? In Frances Palace, visible from here. How long has he been the prince? A decade or two.
There are a good amount of small groups of the blue crystal clanks around, but otherwise not that many people.

MADOC, Annabelle, Fe, and Catwagon eventually find an Inn willing to accept the clanks. MADOC and Fe go into the common room, but it isn’t very busy.
Rest of the party goes to town hall, around the river to get to the town hall (bridge is in the process of being built). Town hall is fairly large, ornate, but not too ornate. A couple of people nearby look fairly harried and harassed and are highly nervous about RoboDetective. RoboDetective does his best to look not scary, they kinda believe our assertions it is all good.
There are some guards, but no clanks inside town hall. We see 3 people, one introduces him as [[a:braham]], Town Manager and introduces his companions. Mikolaj Kopernik and Monika Malinowski. Will give us whatever help we need.

We learn that things are going crazy, Bruno Abdank’s clanks can’t keep everything in control. He don’t mean to speak ill of the prince but….We carry on here. No real sense of what is happening outside of the city. Mikolaj Kopernik has come up with a way to fix clanks up, it keeps them from going crazy but destroys their personality. She is a weak spark. Do you have any theories on why the clanks are going crazy? I don’t investigate such things. RoboDetective says that he will work as a detective hoping to help with this problem.

An intriguing proposal

A massive and unusual earthquake causes cave-ins throughout the city, and our heroes are temporarily trapped in one. After encountering strange beasts living in the underground catacombs, they escape, and are interrogated by Warrick Eldrin, one of the town councilman and the wealthiest man in the city about what happened. Impressed with their competence in escaping, he mentions a job opportunity.

Warrick explains that he semi-regularly sent caravans west through a pass in the Carpathian mountains that only he knew about. Always hazardous, five years ago the caravans simply stopped completely. His last one, sent with extra guards had only one survivor. Now he will pay the adventurers to travel the route, and defeat whatever has been attacking the caravans. They are to escort Warrick’s friend and ally Adrian Mures, who will confirm that they actually accomplish the task.

The adventurers interview the survivor, learning that he didn’t recognize the attacker, but that it was a swarm of some type. They decided to build superior armor, and after some discussions about supplies, they began traveling into the wilderness.

Heading into the wilderness, they have a brief (although not as brief as they might like) enounter with farmer Boris Chornovil, an old single man who really likes the sound of his own voice.

A few days later, they are attacked by the raiders they had been warned of. They drive the first group off easily, only to realize it’s a diversion, as a second group sneaks out and heads for their mule, grabbing Adrian and much of the group’s supplies.